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| A popular uprising in Haringey – and sadness as council leader quits | A popular uprising in Haringey – and sadness as council leader quits |
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| Your report that Claire Kober will not seek re-election as leader of Haringey council (31 January) headlines the assertion that she has stood down due to “sexism and bullying”. In fact Kober’s advocacy of the Haringey Development Vehicle housing project has left her almost completely politically isolated. The campaign against the HDV is by no means limited to the left, with the borough’s two moderate Labour MPs, David Lammy and Catherine West, opposing the deal. Handing billions in public assets over to a private sector company notorious for its gentrification of Elephant and Castle was presumably too much for them. Certainly that was the view of hundreds of local people who took part in marches and lobbies and raised funds for an ongoing judicial review. | Your report that Claire Kober will not seek re-election as leader of Haringey council (31 January) headlines the assertion that she has stood down due to “sexism and bullying”. In fact Kober’s advocacy of the Haringey Development Vehicle housing project has left her almost completely politically isolated. The campaign against the HDV is by no means limited to the left, with the borough’s two moderate Labour MPs, David Lammy and Catherine West, opposing the deal. Handing billions in public assets over to a private sector company notorious for its gentrification of Elephant and Castle was presumably too much for them. Certainly that was the view of hundreds of local people who took part in marches and lobbies and raised funds for an ongoing judicial review. |
| The recent collapse of Carillion has only further highlighted the dangers of such public-private partnerships. The claim that recent events are nothing more than a Momentum plot is an insult to all these people. The end of the HDV, which must follow Kober’s resignation, is in fact an example of revived local democracy which merits celebration. Such community involvement will be vital if effective solutions are to be found to Haringey’s housing crisis.Colin WilsonLondon | The recent collapse of Carillion has only further highlighted the dangers of such public-private partnerships. The claim that recent events are nothing more than a Momentum plot is an insult to all these people. The end of the HDV, which must follow Kober’s resignation, is in fact an example of revived local democracy which merits celebration. Such community involvement will be vital if effective solutions are to be found to Haringey’s housing crisis.Colin WilsonLondon |
| • Your report of the decision of Haringey council leader Claire Kober to stand down in May, and with it the likely end of the grandiose Haringey Development Vehicle regeneration project, misses the key aspect of what has happened. The HDV, unpopular in north London, was at root a scheme for the few, not the many. The campaign against it, by contrast, set a new template for modern campaigning. Stretching from the Lib Dems to the Socialist Workers party, it included many Labour activists, trade unionists, council housing campaigners and local residents. It relied not on spin or glossy brochures but on grassroots activity. That meant persistent and consistent leafleting, meetings, speaking to people door to door and – most of all, perhaps – the detailed and painstaking scrutiny of what the HDV really meant: housing demolition.Keith FlettLondon | • Your report of the decision of Haringey council leader Claire Kober to stand down in May, and with it the likely end of the grandiose Haringey Development Vehicle regeneration project, misses the key aspect of what has happened. The HDV, unpopular in north London, was at root a scheme for the few, not the many. The campaign against it, by contrast, set a new template for modern campaigning. Stretching from the Lib Dems to the Socialist Workers party, it included many Labour activists, trade unionists, council housing campaigners and local residents. It relied not on spin or glossy brochures but on grassroots activity. That meant persistent and consistent leafleting, meetings, speaking to people door to door and – most of all, perhaps – the detailed and painstaking scrutiny of what the HDV really meant: housing demolition.Keith FlettLondon |
| • As Haringey Labour councillors who have served under Claire Kober’s leadership, we learned of her decision to stand down as councillor and council leader with sadness, but also a sense of pride at what she has helped the party achieve for this borough. Claire became leader in the aftermath of the tragic death of Peter Connelly, taking on the daunting task of turning the council around at the age of just 30. A decade on, she is one of the most respected council leaders in the country, chair of London Councils and chair of the LGA Resources Board. | • As Haringey Labour councillors who have served under Claire Kober’s leadership, we learned of her decision to stand down as councillor and council leader with sadness, but also a sense of pride at what she has helped the party achieve for this borough. Claire became leader in the aftermath of the tragic death of Peter Connelly, taking on the daunting task of turning the council around at the age of just 30. A decade on, she is one of the most respected council leaders in the country, chair of London Councils and chair of the LGA Resources Board. |
| Her successes in Haringey speak for themselves. Almost 100% of the borough’s schools are rated good or outstanding, up from just 65% in 2008. The borough has secured record levels of investment from both public and private sector, without which we have no hope of addressing Haringey’s vast inequalities. And in 2017 the council was presented with the LGC Children’s Services of the Year award – a phenomenal achievement given Haringey’s notorious failings in years gone by. | Her successes in Haringey speak for themselves. Almost 100% of the borough’s schools are rated good or outstanding, up from just 65% in 2008. The borough has secured record levels of investment from both public and private sector, without which we have no hope of addressing Haringey’s vast inequalities. And in 2017 the council was presented with the LGC Children’s Services of the Year award – a phenomenal achievement given Haringey’s notorious failings in years gone by. |
| All this was achieved against the background of huge Tory budget cuts, 40% since 2010. | All this was achieved against the background of huge Tory budget cuts, 40% since 2010. |
| Then there are the political achievements. When Claire became council leader we had a wafer-thin majority of just three, and a real fear that we could lose the council to the Lib Dems. But under Claire’s leadership Labour’s majority increased in both the 2010 and 2014 elections, to the point where we now hold 49 seats compared to the eight Lib Dems in opposition – election success which also laid the basis for taking the Hornsey and Wood Green constituency back from the Lib Dems in 2015. | Then there are the political achievements. When Claire became council leader we had a wafer-thin majority of just three, and a real fear that we could lose the council to the Lib Dems. But under Claire’s leadership Labour’s majority increased in both the 2010 and 2014 elections, to the point where we now hold 49 seats compared to the eight Lib Dems in opposition – election success which also laid the basis for taking the Hornsey and Wood Green constituency back from the Lib Dems in 2015. |
| We all joined the Labour party because we believe in something, because we recoil against the gross injustices that pervade our society and because we want to do something about them. Often we won’t settle for gradual, piecemeal changes; we want to see transformational reform to tackle the unfairness and inequality around us. | We all joined the Labour party because we believe in something, because we recoil against the gross injustices that pervade our society and because we want to do something about them. Often we won’t settle for gradual, piecemeal changes; we want to see transformational reform to tackle the unfairness and inequality around us. |
| But as elected councillors, we also recognise the realities of decision-making. Pragmatism and compromise are essential parts of politics, and nowhere is this more true currently than in local government, where legislation and funding cuts place such constraints on what councils can deliver. Achievement in local government requires a pragmatic response to real problems, and Claire has embodied this approach throughout her time as leader. | But as elected councillors, we also recognise the realities of decision-making. Pragmatism and compromise are essential parts of politics, and nowhere is this more true currently than in local government, where legislation and funding cuts place such constraints on what councils can deliver. Achievement in local government requires a pragmatic response to real problems, and Claire has embodied this approach throughout her time as leader. |
| Haringey is a better place thanks to Claire’s commitment and determination. We would all like to place on record our immense admiration and gratitude for the leadership Claire has shown and the changes she has brought about under such challenging circumstances in Haringey.Cllr Kaushika Amin Northumberland ParkCllr Jason Arthur Crouch EndCllr Eugene Ayisi West GreenCllr Dhiren Basu Seven SistersCllr Barbara Blake St Ann’sCllr Clare Bull Bounds GreenCllr Joanna Christophides Bounds GreenCllr Ali Demirci Bounds GreenCllr Natan Doron Crouch EndCllr Sarah Elliott Crouch EndCllr Tim Gallagher Stroud GreenCllr Joe Goldberg Seven SistersCllr Eddie Griffith West GreenCllr Toni Mallett West GreenCllr Jennifer Mann HornseyCllr Stephen Mann Noel ParkCllr Peter Mitchell WoodsideCllr Ali Gul Özbek St Ann’sCllr James Patterson AlexandraCllr Sheila Peacock Northumberland ParkCllr Lorna Reith Tottenham HaleCllr Raj Sahota Stroud GreenCllr Alan Strickland Noel ParkCllr Bernice Vanier Tottenham GreenCllr Ann Waters WoodsideCllr Elin Weston HornseyCllr Charles Wright Woodside | Haringey is a better place thanks to Claire’s commitment and determination. We would all like to place on record our immense admiration and gratitude for the leadership Claire has shown and the changes she has brought about under such challenging circumstances in Haringey.Cllr Kaushika Amin Northumberland ParkCllr Jason Arthur Crouch EndCllr Eugene Ayisi West GreenCllr Dhiren Basu Seven SistersCllr Barbara Blake St Ann’sCllr Clare Bull Bounds GreenCllr Joanna Christophides Bounds GreenCllr Ali Demirci Bounds GreenCllr Natan Doron Crouch EndCllr Sarah Elliott Crouch EndCllr Tim Gallagher Stroud GreenCllr Joe Goldberg Seven SistersCllr Eddie Griffith West GreenCllr Toni Mallett West GreenCllr Jennifer Mann HornseyCllr Stephen Mann Noel ParkCllr Peter Mitchell WoodsideCllr Ali Gul Özbek St Ann’sCllr James Patterson AlexandraCllr Sheila Peacock Northumberland ParkCllr Lorna Reith Tottenham HaleCllr Raj Sahota Stroud GreenCllr Alan Strickland Noel ParkCllr Bernice Vanier Tottenham GreenCllr Ann Waters WoodsideCllr Elin Weston HornseyCllr Charles Wright Woodside |
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